Access: Make way for firefighters

When a wildfire threatens, the first few minutes of a fire are the most critical for saving your home. Make it easy for firefighters to get to your property.
Around your home
  •  If your house is set back from the street, post your address at the entrance to your driveway.
  • Driveways must be at least 12 feet wide with at least 15 feet of vertical clearance.
    Numbers add to safety
    Firefighters need to find your home easily in an emergency. 1. Make sure your address numbers are non-combustible  and clearly visible from the road.
    2. The numerals should be at least 6” tall and be placed on a high-contrast background.
  • Drives longer than 150 feet must have turnarounds.
  • Drives longer than 200 feet must have both turnarounds and turnouts.
  • Gated driveways must open inward and have an entrance at least 2 feet wider than the driveway and be at least 30 feet from the road.
  • If secured, the gate must have a key box approved by the local fire department.
  • Identify at least two ways to and from your house and make sure they're well marked.
  • All access routes to your home should be free of low hanging tree branches and cleared of flammable vegetation at least 10 feet from roads and five feet from driveways.
In your neighborhood
  • Each street or road should be named and signs must be clearly posted.
  • Roads need to be wide enough to accommodate fire trucks, and there has to be a place for them to turn around.
  • A minimum of two primary access roads should be designed into every subdivision and development.
  • Where more than one home is accessed off a single driveway, all addresses should be posted at the street  and at each intersection.    – Firewise